Lumber-marking machine



J. G. McDONOUGH. LUMBER MARKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1. 191a.

Patented May 25, 1920.

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WIT/YEJJ'ES F7792/YEYJ J. G. McDONOUGH.

LUMBER MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. l. l9l6- 1,340,966. Patented y 25,1920.

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LUMBER MARKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I. 1916.

1,340,966. P tented May 25, 1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4- BY. QLQQJL f JOSEPH G. MGDONOUGH, OF EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN.

LUMBER-MARKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1920.

Application filed March 1, 1916. Serial No. 81,382.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH G. MCDON- OUGH, citizen of the United States, resident of Eau Claire, county of Eau 012.1138, State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lumber'Marking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my present invention is to provide a marking or brandin device so operated or controlled that it Wlll be properly positioned to place a complete brand on the end of a piece of lumber regardless of dimensions. Obviously a marking device actuated by the moving lumber might place a complete brand or repetitions thereof on the end of a wide piece of lumber, but only impress a portion of the brand on a narrow piece. My present invention obviates this difiiculty and insures the perfect branding of every piece of lumber passing through the machine, regardless of its width.

A further object 'is to provide improved means whereby the marking die for an untrimmed piece of lumber or one that is too long to be engaged by the die will be moved to an inactive position through the operation of mechanism actuated by the moving lumber, thereby making the apparatus more positive and reliable in its operation.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a lumber trimming machine with my branding apparatus connected therewith,

Fi 2 is an end view of the machine, showing the mechanism in its normal position,

Fig. 3 is a similarggview, illustrating the position assumed by the parts when the die is moved to an inactive-position through the passage of a piece of lumber that is too long to contact with the die,

Fig. 1 is a detail sectional View of one of the marking dies and the support therefor,

Fig. 5 is a plan sectional view of the same,

Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the dies, showing its marking face with the brands or characters arranged in groups thereon,

Fig. 7 is-a detail view, showing a piece of lumber in contact with the marking face of the die,

Fig. 8 is an end view, showing a modified construction, means being provided for stopping the machine upon the approach of an untrimmed piece of lumber,

F1g. 9 is a detail sectional view, showing a modified means for indexing the die,

Fig. 1O is a vertical sectional view of the same,

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view.

In the drawing, 2 represents a saw trimmer having the usual feed belts 3 for moving the lumber past the saws, indicated by dotted lines, and provided with the shaft 4 on the discharge side of the trimming machine. Upon this shaft a series of sprockets 5 are loosely mounted for feed belts 6 which form continuations of the trimmer belts 3 for conducting the lumber to a frame 7 on which the branding mechanism is mounted. A shaft 8 has bearings in the frame 7 and is provided with sprocket wheels 9 for the lumber feeding belts 6. The shaft 8 is driven through suitable means, such as a belt 10 from the shaft 4.

Loosely mounted upon the shaft 8 are castings 11 alternating in position thereon with the belts 6 and adjacent to said belts, there being a series of these castings provided, one for each trimmer saw and feed belt, to adapt the machine for marking lumber of varying lengths. A frame 12 has arms 13 fitting within sockets 14 in the casting 11 and projectin upon the opposite side of the shaft 8 to orm a counter-balance for the casting and onthis frame loose weights may be placed until the desired balance is obtained. This, counterbalance frame is preferably made separable from the casting 11.

At one end of the machine is a casting mounted on the shaft 8 correspondin to the castings 11 except that it is reversed in position. I will designate this casting by numeral 11*. It has a counter-balance corresponding to the one described with reference to the other casting. A lever 15 is loosely mounted on the shaft 8 with its hub normally inconta'c't with the casting 11 and has arms projecting horizontally upon both sides of the shaft 8. A similar lever 15" is loosely mounted on the shaft 8 on the opposite side of the casting 11 and has its short arm connected with the corresponding arm of the lever 15 by a bar 16 for transmitting the g movement of one lever to the other. The longer arms of the levers 15 and15 are connected with one another by a shaft 17. C01- lars 18 are secured on said rod and contact with the outer faces of the long arm of the levers 15 and 15*. A collar 19 is loosely mounted on said rod on the opposite side of the lever 15 from the collar 18 and a com pression spring 20 is provided between the collar 19 and a stop 21 on said rod. Outward pressure, therefore, on the lever 15 will cause it to slide on the shaft 8 and its movement being transmitted through the bar 16 to the lever l5 will slide it on its supporting shaft and this sliding movement of the lever 15 will put the spring 20 under compression to yieldingly'resist pressure on the casting 11 and the branding die carried thereby to adapt the apparatus for marking pieces of lumber which may be varied slightly in length when delivered'by the trimming saws without danger of breakage of the dies or buckling or splitting the lumber, which might result if the dies were rigidly held against lateral separation.

The castings 11 and 11 are provided with inclined faces 22 in vertical planes on said castings for engaging the ends of the'pieces of lumber and guiding them between the branding dies.

At one end of the frame is a bracket 23 having a bearing for the shaft 8 and provided with a depending arm 24 wherein a shaft 25 is mounted. A casting 26 is loosely mounted on this shaft and is provided with an upwardly projecting arm 27 pivotally connected by-a link 28 with the casting 11 and forming with the arm 27a toggle connection between the castings 11 and 26. A sheave 29 is mounted on the shaft 17 and a cable 30 passes over said sheave and is at-' tached at one end to the arm 27 and at its the link 28 in alinement with one another, or the toggle joint in its straightened position.

i A- shaft 17 is provided opposite the castings I 11 and whereon sheaves corresponding to the one described are mounted.

A shaft 32 is supported in bearings on the ,frame 7 and is provided with an arm 33 connected by a link 34 with an arm 35 on the casting 26. A lever 36 is mounted on. the shaft 32 and projects upwardly above the feed belts 6 into the path of the moving lumber to be engaged by the untrimmed end thereof in case a piece of lumber should escape the trimming saw. Thisuntrimmed end, contacting with the lever 36, will break the toggle connection of the-casting 11 and the pressure of the lumber passing between the adjacent dies will move the'casting and I die from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig.3.

As the lumber approaches the marking die, it engages the beveled end surface parallel with the direction of movement of the lumber while it is passing a marking die. I also prefer to provide blades 39 in the frame of the machine adjacent to the feed belts and having upper edges projecting slightlyabove the belts in position to contact with the under surface of the lumber and cooperate with the weight above for holding the lumber during the marking operation. I am thus able to pass a comparatively short, narrow piece of lumber through the machine and insure the legible application of the brand or die to the end surface.

A lever 39 having the same function as the lever 36 is mounted opposite and adjacent to the castings 11 and .connected therewith in substantially the same manner as described with reference, to the lever 36 for the purpose of depressing the castings 11 and the dies carried thereby to move the die for marking a comparatively short piece of lum ber to an inactive position upon the ap-' proach of a comparatively long piece of lumber. The apparatus is thus adapted for handling pieces of lumber of Varying length, the dies and the supporting castings for the short pieces of lumberbeing moved out of the path of the longer pieces as they are carried between the dies. v

' In these castings, the one at the end of the machine and those mounted at intervals thereon, I provide revolving dies, 40, preferably cylindrical in form,supported upon upright studs 41 in said castings and pro-.

vided with brands or characters 42 arranged in groups on the periphery of the die, the characters being preferably duplicated from the top to the bottom ,of the die to adapt it'for marking lumber of varying thickness. I

. In the lower end of the die is formed a star-wheel 43 having a plurality of V- shaped recesses or depressions 44 beneath and opposite the groups ofbranding' characters, there being as many groups of these characters on the face of the die as there are recesses in the star-wheel. A springpressed pin 45 is mounted in the casting and has an anti-friction wheel 46 atone end to contact with'the stanwheel, said wheel normally tending to roll to. the bottom of each recess and center the die wheel or index it properly with respect to the approaching piece of lumber. I: have found that where a die is revolved by contact,.-with the lumber that it does not always stop in the same place, owing to the difference in the width of the lumber, for evidently a piece of lumber ten or twelve inches wide will revolve the die a greater distance than a piece only four inches wide. It is important that the complete brand or mark be impressed on each piece of lumber and if the die is provided with a branding face adapted for marking a four inch piece and the die is positioned so that the beginning of the brand will be impressed on the end surface of the four inch lumber as soon as it contacts with the die,-then evidently the complete impression of the brand upon each piece of lumber more than four inches in width will be insured. It may, of course, happen in a wide piece of lumber that all the impressions will not be complete, but with the arrangement I have provided at least one impression or brand will be complete and there may be other complete or partial impressions, depending upon the width of the lumber. Should the die be revolved to such a point that the beginning of the brand will not be at the point of contact with the next piece of lumber, then the pressure of the pin on the inclined faces of the star wheel will, when the die is released from contact with the lumber just branded, revolve the die either forward or backward to adjust it with respect to the approaching piece of lumber so that the beginning of the brand will be opposite the forward edge of the lumber in position to make a complete impression. In this way I am able to insure a perfect mark upon the end of each piece of lumber regardless of its width.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a modified construction which consists in providing a drive shaft 47 having a friction drive 48 with a disk 49 that is mounted on an eccentric 50 and provided with an arm 51 having a link connection 52 with a lever 53 in the path of the lumber. A drive belt 54 extends from the disk 49 to the shaft 55 of the feed belts 56. When the lumber that is too long to pass between the dies and might cause damage to the mechanism contacts with the lever 58 the friction drive will be interrupted and the feed of the lumber will be stopped.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a modification in the form of a die which consists in provid-- ing a series of pins 57 depending from the under surface of the die at suitable intervals in position to contact with anantifriction roller 58 that is mounted on an arm 59 pivoted at 60 in the die-supporting casting and having a spring 61 which normally holds the wheel 58 in contact with two of the pins 57 with a yielding pressure. This wheel 58 and the arm 59 have the same function as the pin 45 and the wheel 46 of Fig. 5, namely, that of centering the die wheel or adjusting it in its proper position with respect to the approaching piece "of lumber to insure the application or impression of the complete brand or mark thereon.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a die mounted to make an impression or mark on the end surface of the lumber, a spring pressed pin and means mounted on the die and engaging said pin for moving the die back and forth to position it with respect to pieces of lumber of varying width.

2. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a revolving die having peripheral marks or characters arranged in groups thereon, said die being revolved by contact with the moving lumber therewith, a spring pressed pin, and said die having inclined surfaces formed thereon to be engaged by said pin for rotating saiddie back and forth to position its marks with respect to the surfaces of pieces of lumber of varying width.

3. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a revolving die having peripheral marks or characters for impressing a brand on the endsurface of the lumber, said die having a plurality of inclined surfaces and means engaging said surfaces for rotating said die back and forth to position its peripheral characters with respect to the pieces of lumber of varying width.

4. The combinatiomwith means for moving lumber, of a revolving die having peripheral marks or characters for impressing a brand on the end. surface ofthe lumber, said die being revolved by contact of the moving lumber therewith, a wheel carried by said die and having inclined surfaces opposite the characters on the die, and means contacting with said inclined surfaces for adjusting said die back and forth to position said characters for marking pieces of lumber of varying width.

5. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a revolving die having peripheral marks or characters arranged in groups thereon, said die being revolved by. contact of the moving lumber therewith, a star wheel provided in connection with said die and having its recesses between the teeth of the wheel opposite the groups of peripheral characters on the die, and springpressed means contacting with said wheel and normally seeking the bottom of said recesses for adjusting a group of marks with respect to the end surface of the approaching lumber.

6. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a die mounted to make a mark or impression on the vertical surface of the moving lumber, a vertically tilting die carrier, a lever in the path of the lumber that is too long to contact with said the lumber thereon and a spring pressed frame mounted to resist such lateral move 'terbalance therefor, a

die, and mechanism connected with said lever and with said die carrier for moving said die and carrier out of the path of the lumber engaging said lever.

7. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a die carrier mounted to tilt vertically, a rotating die mounted in said carrier, a lever in thepath of the lumber that is too long to contact with said die, mechanism connected with said lever and with said carrier for tilting it and said die downwardly, out of the path of such lumber.

8. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a tilting die mounted to make a mark or'impression on the end of the moving lumber, a lever in the path of the lumber thatis too long to contact with the die and actuated by such lumber, and

toggle links connecting said lever with said die for moving it out of the path of the lumber.

9. The combination, with'means for moving lumber, of a tiltin carrier and a cound ie mounted to revolve in said carrier and having means for making a mark .or impression in the vertical surface of the moving lumber, a lever in the path of the lumber that is too long to contact with said die, mechanism connected with said lever and with said carrier and actuated by engagement of the lumber with said lever for tilting said carrier to move said die out of the path of the lumber.

10. A lumber or timber marking machine comprising a frame, dies for identifying the lumber moving in said frame and positioned to contact with pieces of lumber of varying length, one ofsaid dies being mounted for lateral movement under endwise pressure of ment. 1 a

11. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a revolving die having peripheral marking characters or brands thereon, said die being revolved by contact with the end surface of the lumber with said characters, and a weight having parallel supporting links positioned to rest upon the lumber and hold it against longitudinal movement when in contact with said die.

12. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a revolving die having peripheral marks or brands for contacting with the end surface of a piece of lumber, and blades having edges projecting above, said lumber moving means for contacting with the under surface of the lumber and holding it against longitudinal movement during the marking operation.

13. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a revolving die having peripheral-marks or brands for contacting with the end surface'of a piece of lumber, blades having edges projecting above said lumber moving means for contacting with the under surface of the lumber and holding it against longitudinal movement during the marking operation, and weights suspended above said moving means for resting on the upper surface of the lumber and holding it upon said blades during the marking operation.

14:. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a die mounted to make an impression or mark on the end surface of the lumber, means for positioning the die after contact with a piece of lumber to make such impression upon the next piece of any width, said means including a wheel having inclined surfaces and a member engaging said surfaces to position the Wheel and die with respect to the lumber to be marked.

15. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a' revolving die, a star wheel in connection with said die, and springpressed means for contacting with said wheel to revolve it forward or backward and position said die with respect to the surface of the lumber to be-marked.

16. A lumber or timber marking machine comprising a frame, a plurality of marking dies mounted in said frame and between which the lumber is fed, said dies having characters for marking both end surfaces of the lumber, castings in which said dies are mounted for rotary movement, one of said castings being slidablysupported to allow its die to be moved toward or from the adjacent die, and means for yieldingly resisting the movement of said sliding casting in one direction. I

17. A lumber or timber marking machine comprising a frame, lumber moving belts mounted therein, lumber marking dies mounted in said frame for making marks or impressions upon the end surface of the lumber, said dies being arranged in a row for marking pieces of lumber or timber of different length, and each die having a movement out of the path of the lumber, and lever mechanisms positioned in the path of the lumber and operatively connected with said dies and actuated through the pressure of a piece of lumber that is too long to conendwise pressure of the lumber thereon.

19. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a revolving die having peripheral marking or branding characters and actuated by contact of the lumber therewith, means engaging the upper surface of the lumber and a blade engaging transversely the under surface of the lumber at right angles substantially thereto for holding it against longitudinal movement when in contact with the die.

20. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a revolving die having peripheral marking or branding characters and actuated by contact of the lumber therewith, means engaging the upper surface of the lumber and a blade engaging transversely the under surface of the lumber for holding it against longitudinal movement when in contact with the die, said blade be ing parallel substantially with the direction of movement of the lumber.

21. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a die having marking or branding characters, means engaging the upper surface of the lumber, a blade engaging transversely the under surface of the lumber for holding it against longitudinal movement when in contact with the die, said blade being parallel substantially with the direction of movement of the lumber.

22. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a die mounted to make an impression or mark on the surface of the lumber, a spring-pressed pin and means mounted on the die and engaging said pin for moving the die back and forth to position it with respect to pieces of lumber of varying width. W T

23. The combination, with means for moving lumber, of a die having peripheral marks or characters thereon, said die being revolved by contact with the moving lumber therewith, said die having inclined surfaces formed thereon and means for contacting with said surfaces to rotate said die back and forth and position itsmarks with respect to the surfaces to be marked.

24. A lumber or timber marking machine comprising a frame,"dies for identifying the lumber moving in said frame and positioned to contact with pieces of lumber of varying length, one of said dies being mounted for lateral movement under endwise pressure of the lumber, and means mounted to resist such lateral movement.

25. A lumber or timber marking machine comprising a frame, a die for identifying the lumber mounted to swing in said frame, a lever in the path of the lumber that is too long to contact with said die and mechanism connected with said lever and with said die for moving said die out of the path of the lumber engaging said lever. V

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 21st da of February, 1916.

J OSEP G. MGDONOUGH. 

